Custom-decorated giftwrap, kit, and method of and system for custom-decorating the giftwrap

Abstract

A custom-decorated giftwrap is made by feeding a folded sheet into a printer, while avoiding paper jams therein by holding together sheet portions of the sheet.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 350,559, filed Nov. 13, 2001.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention generally relates to a custom-decorated giftwrap, a kit for making the giftwrap, and a method of and a system for custom-decorating the giftwrap.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Gift wrapping generally involves tearing a selected length of decorative paper from a supply roll, and snugly fitting it around a gift box, typically after multiple cutting, shaping, folding and taping operations. The supply roll paper bears printed decorations designed by the paper manufacturer. One must have many supply rolls having different decorations to be able to meet the need to wrap gift boxes for many different occasions. Even if one were able to select from among a multitude of such supply rolls, the decorations on the selected roll are still ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Another object of this invention is to enable a computer user, especially in the home, to easily create a unique giftwrap for use in wrapping a gift box.

[0014]According to this invention, at least one of the sheet portions is folded about a fold line over another of the sheet portions so that the overlapping sheet portions are of equal area. Preferably, two outer sheet portions are folded over a central sheet portion in a C-shaped folded configuration about two mutually parallel fold lines. The folded sheet portions are maintained in a closed state. For example, an adhesive may be applied to an area of one of the overlapping sheet portions. Adhesive contact is made between the overlapping sheet portions, typically by pressing them together. Preferably, the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive light adhesive capable of maintaining the overlapping sheet portions together in the closed state, and of enabling the sheet portions to be easily peeled apart to an open state. Preferably, the adhesive is applied along peripheral free edges of the sheet portions, either at selected zones or continuously along the free edges. Alternatively, a double-sided adhesive carrier can be placed between the overlapping sheet portions. Also, a single-sided adhesive tape can be adhered exteriorly around the overlapping sheet portions to adhere them in the closed state.

[0019]The use of the adhesive, tacky coating, or friction-enhancing substance to maintain the sheet portions together according to this invention avoids the aforementioned paper jamming drawback since the sheet portions travel as a unit through the printer and provide a consistent paper feed through the printer. Also, in the case of a sheet having more than one fold such as the C-shaped configuration described above, it is sometimes possible to eliminate the adhesive, coating, or substance altogether, since the interleaved sheet portions tend to hold themselves in place. A custom-decorated giftwrap can now be easily designed and used to enable special occasions to be celebrated in style with a personalized decoration unique to the recipient, and not dictated by the paper manufacturer.

Problems solved by technology

These sizes represent limiting factors in terms of the maximum size of a custom-decorated product.

However, the taping together of separate sheets is inelegant and while perhaps, by necessity, acceptable in a poster, is not satisfactory for a gift wrap where an elegant gift presentation is paramount.

However, such paper does not have clean sharp edges along the tear line.

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